Upon researching the Thompson School District, I came to find

out many interesting values that the district holds and how they aim to
educate children. The district, which is nestled in northern Colorado,
serves the cities of Loveland and Berthoud, as well as parts of the
surrounding counties. Within these cities, there are twenty elementary
schools, five middle schools and five high schools. The first thing I
noticed about this district was its size. I think that the Thompson
School District is a really great size that helps benefit the faculty and
its students. It is a large district, but it is by no means the biggest and
that helps the district to both be diverse enough where they can
experiment and be innovative, but still small enough where there can
still be a solid connection between the district and the schools
themselves. The fact that schools in this district have programs such
as the International Baccalaureate program, the Diploma program and
even a STEM program in one of the middle schools is evidence of their
innovation and this does not come without progress as the Thompson
School Districts TCAP scores are higher than the statewide average.
What I believe sets this district apart from other districts is their
Thompson 2 Life program. Thompson 2 Life is a task force of parents,
teachers and any other volunteers who meet and decide how they can
help students succeed outside of the classroom. They meet to discuss
ideas such as scheduling, college help, and graduation requirements
among countless other options. I think the Thompson 2 Life program is

an outstanding resource for both students and parents because it

provides a guide and a framework for helping students get the
attention and assistance they need.
Here at Conrad Ball Middle School, I have seen that their
approach to learning is unique, not only in the Thompson School
District but to any classroom that I have ever been in. Granted, my
experience is limited because I went to a tiny Catholic middle school
however I feel that the approach Conrad Ball takes is one that is best
suited for student success. Part of this success resides in their Next
Generation Learning program and their 1:1 ratio. Next Generation
Learning is an initiative put on by the Colorado Coalition of
Breakthrough Schools that aims to give students the tools to succeed
beyond the classroom. Part of this program is the integration of
technology into the classroom. Conrad Ball believes that the best way
for students to learn is when they take ownership of their learning,
think larger than themselves, persevere through challenges, redefine
the use of technology to connectivity and achievement and contribute
positively to their local and global community. I think that this is an
extremely smart way to educate students because with Next Gen
learning, the school understands that technology is becoming a more
integral part of society every day and if students understand how to
smartly and effectively use technology early on then they will have an
edge later on in life. Another part of Next Gen learning is their 1:1

ratio, which provides every student with an iPad to assist in their

learning. I think that if used properly, an iPad can be one of the most
effective and engaging tools in the classroom. There are countless
apps and websites that all provide students with the opportunity to
learn without them really even knowing it. An example of this is when
we used Kahoot in our classroom. This educational app was so much
fun for us and it helped us soak up information because we were so
eager to finish first. I think that this use of technology in the classroom
sets Conrad Ball apart from any middle school that I have ever been in
because they dont see technology as a potential distraction but as a
potential key to unlocking a whole new realm of possibilities.
Where I found the most diversity however, was in the classroom
at Conrad Ball. I am assigned to two separate classrooms, on Tuesdays
I sit in with Mr. Popp and his 6th grade social studies class, and on
Thursdays I am in the massive PLUS classroom with both 6th and 7th
graders. I have found that both of these classes are very different from
each other, which has provided me with multiple viewpoints. In the
classrooms themselves I encounter a great deal of diversity in both
who the kids are themselves and how they learn. In the PLUS
classroom, I have seen firsthand all the different types of kids and how
they interact with each other. I think I see this the most when they are
given individual work; as I walk around the classroom I see some kids
who are excited to work with others, kids who are terrified to try and

find a partner, and some kids who simply dont care either way. I also
see kids who remain focused the majority of the time without any push
and others who need constant motivation to stay on task. It is also
interesting to see how kids react to me as well. Sometimes when I go
up and ask a kid how he is doing, he or she will be exited to talk to me
and tell me what they are working on, and other times I will get an
extremely shy kid who I can barely get a peep out of. This is a good
reminder that when I eventually have a class of my own, I will have a
large amount of diversity that I will need to understand and respect.
Mr. Popps class is quite different from the PLUS class because it is
more lecture/lesson based. This social studies class shows me the
diversity of students in terms of how they learn. For example, on
September 13th, Mr. Popp talked to his students about the 9/11 tragedy.
As they talked about the tragedy, some of his students were very into
the discussion and actively participating, however the presumably
more quiet students would silently take notes and not participate. This
was interesting for me because that type of lesson is one that I would
have gravitated towards in middle school because I could be engaged
with the material and I just assumed that all other kids were like me
and enjoyed learning via discussion with the teacher. It is eye opening
to see that students are incredibly unique and their approach to
learning differs for every kid. In these first few weeks at Conrad Ball, I

understand how diverse the classroom is and I know that I need to be

more mindful of that diversity when I have students of my own.

All facts obtained from thompsonschools.org